After Su Ning left.
The diners who had been dispersed by the guards earlier, along with the nearby street vendors, gathered around, talking over one another to express their opinions.
"Old Man Yang, which God of Wealth did you pray to? How much tip did that rich young lady give you just now?"
"It must be a lot."
"She's been gone for a while, but Old Man Yang is still standing there like a dumb goose, not moving an inch... Tell us, let us share in your good luck."
It was thirty percent joking and seventy percent jealousy.
The people here were all soaking in the bitter waters of life, looking for their next meal after finishing the current one. Seeing their former poor brother suddenly strike it lucky, how could they be happy?
Some were already pondering how to borrow money from him.
Then they heard—
"It has nothing to do with a tip." Old Man Yang shook his head like a rattle-drum from the nearby stall. "It's what she just told me. She said the price of grain is going to fall... Do you guys think it's true?"
The crowd instantly exploded into an uproar.
"Did she really say that? You aren't so hungry that your head is spinning and you misheard her, right?"
"Impossible. The grain shop by my house raises its prices three times a day! Those sons of bitches even limit purchases to one peck of grain per person, just afraid they'll miss out on making half a penny."
The people of Beiping had been through a lot of hardships over the years and considered themselves more worldly than outsiders, so they wouldn't easily believe in such a good thing. Those grain merchants were bloodsuckers who ate people without spitting out the bones.
Someone, however, hesitated and said:
"Actually, I recognize the person from just now. Su Ning. She's a prominent figure in the city. She wouldn't just be messing with Old Man Yang for fun, would she?"
It was actually Su Ning!
Eight or nine out of ten people present had heard this name. Some knew it because of that sensational funeral, some because of the chemical fertilizer, and some because of the urban legend of a wealthy relative seeking kin and a poor person striking it rich.
Even more of it was due to the recent bombardment of public opinion from tabloids, teahouses, and crosstalk performances.
Although Su Ning's image wasn't great, on the flip side, her wealth and power were deeply ingrained in people's minds—if a villain wasn't powerful and arrogant enough, how could they be so detestable?
A voice filled with hope sounded:
"If... if the grain price could really fall, that would be wonderful. I'm not greedy; even if it's half again as high as the normal price, that's fine. I can survive by adding two more scoops of water to the pot."
Just being able to survive was enough.
...
There is no wall in the world that doesn't leak wind.
Su Ning's words quickly reached the ears of the grain merchant syndicate like a gust of wind. Many porcelain cups were shattered that day. Being slapped in the face right after making a claim was naturally an unpleasant feeling.
"Crazy! This crazy woman."
"What kind of benefits did that guy named Chen give her for her to throw so much money around every time? This woman must be crazy to become the mayor's wife."
"Go check her bank statements."
After a flurry of chaotic activity.
They discovered that Su Ning's incoming and outgoing transactions during this period were all normal with no major fluctuations—of course, meaning major fluctuations for her. Although looking at the accounts set their minds at ease for the most part, a sour feeling of jealousy swelled up like the tide.
Why did she have so much money!
The old man waved his hand:
"Alright, knowing that she doesn't have any large outgoing transactions is enough. It seems it was just a young person feeling a sudden pang of compassion and speaking carelessly. She'll probably forget about it by tonight."
"However, just in case, find an opportunity to test her. If necessary, we can pull her into the game... Su Ning is qualified to be involved anyway."
Not all of these people were in the grain business before.
They just smelled an opportunity to get rich.
Hearing the old man say this, these people's hearts settled down. Yes, what kind of person was Su Ning? It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her cold-blooded and ruthless. Some of the people present even prided themselves on having better character than her!
These calculations and jealousies.
Su Ning didn't witness them with her own eyes, but she could guess a thing or two. Not wanting to be bothered, she deliberately reduced the frequency of her outings, but there were always things she couldn't push away.
This was a charity banquet.
Nominally, it was to raise funds to relieve the common people displaced by the war. The organizers were several active socialites in social circles, and there were many participants.
Although an invitation had been sent to Su Ning, no one thought they could invite this big shot—at most, Madam Shang would show up to donate some money or antique jewelry.
So, when the iconic motorcade appeared.
There was a commotion from the hosts to the guests.
"What's going on? There was no news that Su Ning would come."
"Quick, go tell my father, uncle, and grandfather to get ready and come over. Miss Su is here too... Why didn't the host announce this news earlier? It's making everyone rush around."
Someone said half-jokingly:
"Could it be that they felt sorry for our wallets, so they hid it so well? It's been hard on the host."
The socialites were bitter in their hearts.
They didn't know Su Ning was coming either. This was just an ordinary charity gala—there were countless banquets grander and more important than this one.
When had Su Ning ever graced them with her presence?
Because of luck.
Inside the car, Su Ning was in no hurry to get out. She stretched out her hand and silently yawned. So sleepy. "Damn it, why did the grain ships arrive a few days early?"
She complained bitterly.
Anyone who pulled an all-nighter, planning to sleep in beautifully, only to be dragged up to work, would be like her. Fortunately, Lin Sen was capable enough to dig up this charity banquet, so she at least got two hours of sleep.
"Reality isn't a game, how could there be no margin of error?"
The system retorted even louder. It had already figured out how to get along with Su Ning—which was to absolutely never show weakness or apologize.
Otherwise, hmph, Su the Skin-flayer would come online.
"...Besides, this is clearly your own doing, Host."
"If you want more, you have to pay more."
Su Ning admitted it. She came here to play along with those big grain merchants and, while she was at it, sell the confiscated grain to them at a high price before the large shipment of grain arrived.
—The money she earned from this would be her own.
For the sake of her future life as a rich woman, sleeping a little less didn't matter.
Knock, knock, knock.
The window was knocked on, and a soft, deep male voice sounded: "Miss, the people you are waiting for have arrived."
"Mhm."
Su Ning casually looked outside. It hadn't been long, but the originally sparse street was already crowded with rickshaws and a few cars. The big grain merchants she was waiting for were among them.
It seemed they were very anxious during this time?
Anxious to confirm her attitude.
...
Under countless overt or covert gazes.
Lin Sen opened the car door. The June sun was fierce. A huge black silk umbrella was opened, and the umbrella surface moved slowly, revealing Su Ning underneath.
That cold and plain face appeared.
Her iconic condescension.
Ignoring everyone who wanted to come over and say hello, she walked straight ahead. It wasn't until her figure disappeared into the doorway that the crowd erupted into a clamor.
There were sarcastic remarks saying no wonder her reputation was so bad, and she still didn't know how to restrain herself. There were also those with vested interests defending her.
They even discussed her clothing and accessories.
Why did they look simple, yet exceptionally different when worn on her?
"Every generation produces its talents."
Elder Sun narrowed his eyes, turned his head with a smile, and said to the person next to him, "Seeing young people like Su Ning makes me realize that I am old and no longer have that youthful vigor."
The people around him hurriedly flattered him.
He felt comfortable in his heart.
Just as he was about to go inside to have a good "chat" with Su Ning, he suddenly saw Young Master Kong, dressed in formal attire, hurrying forward with the clear intention of approaching Su Ning.
He was extremely surprised.
If he remembered correctly...
This precious Young Master Kong had suffered a terrible setback because of Su Ning. He had been played for a fool, and all his initial investments had gone down the drain. What was going on now?
Naturally, someone explained the situation to him.
After hearing the explanation, Elder Sun opened his nearly toothless mouth and smiled. "It does not matter if there is no interest right now. Their families are well-matched in status, and they are both young."
"As the saying goes, even the most stubborn woman cannot resist a persistent suitor. Perhaps it will not be long before we hear good news. Besides, women are naturally reserved, so who knows what she is truly thinking?"
The person beside him opened his mouth to speak.
He had good eyesight and could clearly see that inside the door, Young Master Kong could not even get within a meter of Su Ning. He was forcefully kept at bay by her ever-present bodyguards.
So, Miss Su's true thoughts must be pure disgust, right?
